Your weekly roundup of funding news and deadlines from GrantTracker.
Funding News
The Homewards Fund is now open for applications in Homewards Northern Ireland. The Homewards Fund aims to support the delivery of the Homewards Northern Ireland’s Local Action Plan. Up to £500,000 will be available to each UK location across the lifecycle of the five-year programme. Grants can be used to facilitate local partners to deliver additional capacity, resources and projects needed to unlock scalable and transformative solutions to end homelessness in Northern Ireland. While they know that this is only a start, the Fund will enable Northern Ireland to test new ideas, help unlock new partners and investment, and learn what works – and what doesn’t. For the Prospectus, FAQs, and Guidance and Considerations click here. Please note that collaboration is a key principle of Homewards, so it is important that your idea has been discussed and agreed with your relevant coalition working and/or delivery group before an application is made. For those who were unable to join the webinar to find out more about the Homewards Fund in Northern Ireland , a recording can be found at Homewards Introductory Webinar - Northern Ireland on Vimeo.
The Trust make discretionary grants where they believe that their contribution will make a real difference. Applications are taken all year round and from all areas of the United Kingdom for their rolling programme. Registered Charities, those exempt, CIOs, and municipally funded museums (not in schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011) with an annual turnover of over £50,000 can apply under five core areas - Arts and Heritage, Education, Environment, Health, and Social or Economic Disadvantage. The minimum grant size is £10,000. Next cutoff date is 11 July 2024.
Wellbeing of Women/Holland & Barrett: Women's Health Community Fund now open
Providing small grants to groups and individuals working at a community level to raise awareness and improve education around the menopause. Applicants are invited to apply for up to £5000 to spend in a 12 month period. They seek projects that aim to improve information, education and support for menstrual health, related gynaecological conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, etc., and support people and groups that are often underrepresented, for example people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQI+, people living with disabilities, deaf people, blind and partially sighted people, people experiencing homelessness, addiction, people living in areas of economic deprivation. Deadline 19 May 2024.
NIHE: Community Involvement Grants 2024/25
The Community Involvement grants allow residents and community groups to apply for projects that will benefit Housing Executive Communities. The projects must fit in with one or more of the below themes: Health & Wellbeing, Environment Improvement, Intergenerational Practice, Digital Inclusion, or Cost of living/poverty. Please contact your Good Relations Officer for a copy of the Community Involvement Grants Guidelines. This is compulsory as these will assist you in completing your application. Partially completed applications will not be accepted. The maximum amount of grant available will be £5,000 and it is intended that a response will be issued within a maximum of 10 weeks of receipt of the application. Deadline 28 May 2024.
Music for All provides grants for both individuals, groups and schools to enable more people to access musical instruments and lessons and music programmes for the community. Open to eligible applicants in the UK and Ireland, Round 2 has the following categories: BBB Trust Award (community projects only), Working with primary-school aged children (community projects only), Chronic diseases and conditions affecting quality of life (community projects only), Working with groups with mental health challenges and/or affected by loneliness/isolation (community projects only), Working with communities from the Global Majority, in collaboration with Black Lives in Music (community projects only), and Physical mobility or accessibility needs (community projects). Round 2 Application Deadline1 July 2024 (8am).
abrdn Financial Fairness Trust: Climate Change and Household Finances in the UK
Their mission is to contribute towards strategic change which improves financial well-being in the UK. This new funding programme, Climate Change and Household Finances in the UK, seeks applications from organisations for policy, research and campaigning work which will protect and improve the household finances of people on low-to-middle incomes in the UK during the transition to Net Zero and adjustment to climate change. They will fund work that is UK-wide and/or Scotland-wide. This new programme sits alongside their existing funding programmes. Organisations can still apply to these; details can be found here. Next deadline for all programmes 3 June 2024 (1pm).
Groundwork NI: Aughrim Landfill Programme
Aughrim Landfill Programme is a partnership between Aughrim Landfill Ltd and Groundwork NI which allocates Landfill Tax Credit Funding from the Aughrim landfill site. Voluntary and community organisations can apply if their project is within 10 miles of a registered landfill site (use this map HERE) and benefits the community through either: the provision, maintenance or improvement of a public park or another public amenity, or the conservation or promotion of biodiversity. Grants between £5,000 to £10,000. The panel meets quarterly to make decisions (usually in March, June, September and December).
Upcoming Deadlines
All registered charities and other not-for-profit organisations that support the armed forces community (veterans, those serving and immediate dependants), including seafaring veterans who have served on operations, may apply. The grant funds can be used for costs incurred by the organisation providing those services, this may include salaries and core costs. Two grants available: Grants of up to a maximum of £30,000 for one year or a multi-year grant for up to three years (e.g., £10,000 per year over three years and grants of up to a maximum of £75,000 are available for the exclusive use of salary costs over a three-year period, with the maximum annual grant being £25,000 (e.g., £25,000 per year over three years). Next deadline 23 April 2024.
Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council Grants
Visit the Council’s Funding Hub to apply for a wide range of grants supporting residents, community groups, and businesses. Active grants include tourism, events, capital grants, community development, Good Relations, Civic Representation, and Arts. Deadline for 26 April 2024 (noon).
Benefact Group: Movement for Good Awards – Special Draw
They host five special draws each year focusing on differing causes. Their second special draw of 2024 starts on the 22 April will be dedicated to charities, not-for-profit organisations, and community groups whose primary focus is health. Ask your supporters to nominate you. Deadline for nomination 26 April 2024. Winners receive £5,000.
John Gray & Co Community Assistance Programme
John Gray & Co Funeral Directors aim to support projects taking place within one mile of their funeral homes in Bangor, Holywood and Newtownards. The team want to support causes led by people who have a clear understanding of community issues and that address the needs of the most disadvantaged people in the local area. Grants are available to fund local activities which improve the quality of life of residents and the wider community. Small grants of £300 to small, local community initiatives. Deadline 29 April 2024 (noon).
National Churches Trust: Grants for Northern Ireland
National Churches Trust' s new Treasure Ireland project provides a new Community Grants Programme which offers your church or chapel funding of between £500 and £10,000 for church maintenance or urgent repair work. Next deadline 29 April 2024 (midnight). Join NICVA to hear from the National Churches Trust’s Support Officer Nina McNeary at our upcoming Meet the Funder event.
Fundraising Support
Meet the Funder: The National Churches Trust – Treasure Ireland Funding programme
- 20 May 2024
- 11:00am to 12:00pm
Treasure Island has been set up to help places of worship from all denominations in Northern Ireland to stay open and in good repair. Whether you need help applying for a grant, advice on how to protect the heritage of your church and to attract visitors or support for the ongoing maintenance of your building we are here to help. Register now to find out more from the Trust’s Northern Ireland-based Support Officer Nina McNeary.
Fundraising Hub
Explore the Fundraising Hub for a wide range of articles and resources to support your fundraising journey. A few are below:
Guest Blog: The Chartered Institute of Fundraising in Northern Ireland
Revisit our blog from Paul Montgomery, Chair of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland and find out more about their upcoming Northern Ireland Fundraising Awards 2024 and how you can get involved.
Equality, diversity, and inclusion in your grant applications
This resource outlines some reasons behind funders wanting organisations to address EDI in the applications alongside advice on broaching the topic in writing, getting started on your journey and where you can find further information on this topic.
Get ahead with GrantTracker and access over 1000 funding schemes in NI's leading database. Just £100 a year for NICVA members and £145 for non-members. Sign up here.